Chapter 1

Olivia was up late. She sat on her couch with her knees up against her chest and her chin resting on her knees. She couldn't sleep. Not after this case she and her partner had. She just stared at the TV, it wasn't on, and even though the controller was sitting right next to her she did feel like moving. She felt like if she could just stay still, not move a muscle, she could forget this last case and move on. It didn't work. After awhile, at about one in the morning she heard a knock on her door. After she got up, not realizing how stiff she had gotten from sitting like that, she went to the door. She was surprised to see Stabler in the doorway.

"Elliot. How'd you get up here?" She frowned.

"Guy down in the lobby let me in. Recognized me" He said as he looked down.

"Can I come in?" he asked as he looked back up at her, but wouldn't make eye contact.

"Sure" she said as she opened the door wider, and stepped out of the way as he walked in. He followed her into her small kitchen and sat down at her kitchen table.

"You want some coffee or something?" she offered.

"Yeah" he nodded as he kept his head down. She nodded.

"Let me just put some on" she told him as she scurried around the kitchen and started up the coffee machine.

"So… what's up?" she asked as she sat down. The table was made for four, but fit two better. He barely leaned in and found he was closer to her then he thought, and pulled away a little.

"Munch and Fin told me to meet them at a bar. This case has been hitting everyone hard. I thought I would drop by and see if you wanted to come?" he asked.

"I think I'd just rather stay here" she told him.

"Okay" he said quietly as he looked down again.

"Are you ok?" she asked him.

"Me? I'm fine" he told her.

"Elliot. We're partners, you can tell me if something's upsetting you" she told him as she put her hands over his on top of the table. He looked at her hands on his, then up at her.

"It hit me hard." He told her blandly. She wanted him to keep talking, and she started to rub her thumb against his hand. He took in a deep breath.

"Kathy doesn't understand" he told her next. All of a sudden Olivia felt wrong for trying to comfort him.

"I really am fine. I came here to check on you" he told her. She raised her eyebrows and started to take her hands away when he held on to them.

"You're my partner, just as much as I am yours" he told her and she couldn't help but smile.

"It hit me hard too. When that girl, that child, explained to the jury how she was beat and raped and tortured…." Olivia trailed off. Stabler took in a deep breath as she did.

"It just… it wasn't right" she told him.

"I know. It never is" Stabler commented as Olivia tightened her grip-reassuring him she was there.

"Olivia, you are my strength." He began.

"You are there when I need you, you back me up when you I'm wrong, you fight for what I believe, and I try to do the same for you" he leaned in a little closer.

"You're more then just a partner to me, you're my best friend. And…" he stopped as she watched him. They were closer then they thought and Olivia liked it. She wanted to be closer to him.

"And what?" she asked as she leaned in just a little closer.

"And more" he told her before he leaned in closer. She closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath. He kissed her. She was letting him kiss her, in her apartment, at her kitchen table. She was letting him kiss her and she liked it. She wanted more. She didn't realize that she showed that feeling by kissing him back passionately. After a minute they pulled away for a short breath. She licked her lips as she opened her eyes and he kept hold of her hands with his. It was so quite they could hear their own breaths, and she turned away for a second as she leaned back in her chair, letting go of him. She glanced at the coffee maker and got up quickly. As soon as she got up he figured that's where what just happened ended. She poured him a mug full of coffee and he headed to her front door.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" he asked as he took a few gulps of the coffee.

"Yeah I'm just going to hang here" she told him.

"Okay" he said as he set his mug down on the small table next to the door.

"Thanks for the coffee" he told her as he stepped out into the hallway.

"Yeah" she said as she started to close the door. She leaned in the doorway as she kept the door close to her. He looked at her until he finally moved closer to her. She took in a deep breath as he put his hand on her cheek lightly. As she stood up straight, breaking away from the doorway wall. Elliot pulled closer to her and leaned in. Her stomach turned to knots only for a second. She kissed him back just as passionate as before. She backed up into her apartment, as he followed. She kicked the door closed behind her as he pushed her up against it. She took another deep breath through her nose, as he pulled her close to him, and away from against the door. She was disappointed that her bedroom was all the way across the apartment, but they made their way over. She opened and shut her bedroom door behind her, as Elliot kissed her neck from behind. She couldn't help but smile, and let out a little moan. She turned around and they both climbed into the bed. He got on top of her, under the covers as he started to undress her…